


Smiles

by tinzelda



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Doesn't Kuroko seem like the kind of person who's always cold?, First Kiss, First Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, KagaKuro - Freeform, Kagami's POV, Kuroko's ridiculous bed head, M/M, Post-Canon, Spoilers for series ending, There's no actual basketball in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:14:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinzelda/pseuds/tinzelda
Summary: Kagami's thrilled that Seirin won Nationals, of course, so why does he feel so restless? Because he needs a visit from Kuroko, obviously. Tooth-rotting sweetness and fluff follow.
Relationships: Kagami Taiga/Kuroko Tetsuya
Comments: 6
Kudos: 147





	Smiles

It didn’t make any sense. Kagami should be _happy_. They’d done exactly what they set out to do. They won. They were the best in Japan. And he _was_ happy.

He was.

But he also felt unsettled.

After all their hard work, they were taking a few days off to rest. Kagami sorely needed the break. His body ached, and he yawned constantly. He’d slept until after ten that morning and taken a nap right after lunch too, but he still felt exhausted.

He couldn’t relax though. He’d thought about going for a run, just to stretch out his stiff muscles. Maybe it would burn off the restless energy that was making him pace from one room to another. Unfortunately, it was pouring out.

Kagami stood at the sliding door to the balcony, glaring at the gray skies and wet streets. Was he so desperate that he would run in the rain?

There was a knock on the door. The sound was so quiet, he assumed the visitor was for the apartment next door until a second knock followed. When Kagami opened the door, there stood Kuroko, drenched by the rain. His hair was plastered to his skull. Water ran down his neck in rivulets.

“What happened to you?” Kagami asked as he stepped back to give Kuroko room to enter.

“I didn’t know it was going to rain today,” Kuroko answered.

“What are you doing in this neighborhood anyway?” Kagami said over his shoulder as he went to fetch a towel.

“Errands,” Kuroko said.

When Kagami returned to the entry, Kuroko had taken off his shoes and lined them up next to Kagami’s, but he hadn’t stepped into the living room. He probably didn’t want to drip on the floor. He was polite like that.

Kagami tossed the towel at Kuroko, who draped it over his head and began to rub his still-dripping hair.

“You’re soaked,” Kagami said. “Go in the bathroom and I’ll bring you some dry clothes.”

He jogged to his bedroom to fetch a clean T-shirt and a pair of the soft, worn sweatpants he slept in. Returning to the bathroom door, he knocked and waited until it opened a few inches. Kuroko’s lean, pale arm emerged, and Kagami shoved the bunched up clothes into his searching hand. Then the door closed again.

“There’s a towel bar on the wall over the tub,” Kagami called. “You can hang your wet things there.”

“Thank you.” Kuroko’s voice was muffled through the door.

Kagami hovered in the hallway before forcing himself to walk away. As he mopped up the puddle Kuroko left in the entry, Kagami figured he should be annoyed at the chore, but he wasn’t. Maybe he should resent the intrusion into his nice, peaceful Sunday afternoon. But he didn’t.

He wiped the smile off his face when he heard quiet footsteps. He didn’t want Kuroko to think he was crazy, grinning while he cleaned the floor. Kagami was good at playing it cool. He’d had lots of practice, after all, considering how much time he spent with Kuroko.

But the sight of Kuroko now—

The shirt was huge on him, hanging almost off one shoulder and leaving his collar bone exposed. Kagami swallowed and looked at the floor. But the sight down there was just as troubling: Kuroko’s bare toes peeking out from under Kagami’s sweatpants, which were so long they bunched up around Kuroko’s ankles. 

_He’s adorable_ , Kagami thought.

_Adorable_ wasn’t a word that cropped up a lot in Kagami’s vocabulary. But Kuroko made Kagami say a lot things he never thought he’d say. And do a lot of things he never thought he’d do. And—Kagami was brave enough to admit it, if only to himself—Kuroko made him think a lot of things he never thought he’d think. Want things he’d never thought he’d want. Things that made him nervous.

Kagami forced his gaze away. “You hungry?”

Kuroko nodded and smiled one of his almost undetectable smiles.

“Make yourself at home,” Kagami said. “I’ll find us something.”

It took only a few minutes to microwave some leftover noodles, even though Kagami was distracted. All he had to do was look into the living room, and there was Kuroko, sitting cross-legged at the table, waiting patiently.

“Want to watch TV?” Kagami asked as he handed Kuroko his bowl. “Alex sent me some college games she recorded.”

Kuroko nodded. He had a couple of noodles dangling from his lips.

_Adorable_ , Kagami thought before he could stop himself.

He snatched the remote control off the table, smashed the power button with his thumb, and sank onto the couch. Once Kuroko became absorbed in the game, Kagami breathed a little easier because he didn’t have to worry about getting caught when, in between bites, he snuck peeks at Kuroko, watching him slurp up noodles.

Kuroko placed his bowl on the table when he was done eating, his chopsticks set neatly on the rim. He crawled over to join Kagami on the couch, tugging on the hems of the sweats to cover his feet as he settled into a comfortable position. Maybe getting all wet like that had made him cold?

Kagami stood to return their bowls to the kitchen and on the way back made a detour down the hall to grab the duvet off the bed. When he returned to the sofa, Kuroko looked up at him, his blue eyes wide. Kagami wanted to kiss him—or at least touch his cheek. Instead, Kagami dumped the duvet on Kuroko’s head.

After some shuffling around under the blanket, Kuroko’s head emerged. His hair was a wreck, but he was smiling. It was an ever-so-slightly wider smile than the one before. Kagami grinned.

Kuroko turned most of the duvet into a cocoon for himself but flipped one corner over Kagami’s legs when he sat down again. Kagami stared at the fabric in his lap.

_We’re sharing?_

This didn’t seem like a thing that guys did with their friends. But maybe in Japan, they did. Kagami hadn’t lived in the States for long, but he felt like he’d missed a lot. Maybe middle school was where everyone learned how to act around other kids. Especially when it was somebody you liked. _Really_ liked.

While Kagami was still thinking about this, Kuroko shifted on the couch, inching closer until his shoulder pressed against Kagami’s. With the warmth of Kuroko’s arm all along his, Kagami didn’t care one bit if it was something guys didn’t do. He wriggled in his seat, slouching low against the cushions and stretching his legs way out.

Kuroko’s head fell onto Kagami’s shoulder.

Kagami froze, elated and panicked.

Then Kuroko let out a quiet, snuffling snore. He wasn’t snuggling. At least not on purpose. He was _sleeping_.

Kagami sighed. He should have known. This thing with Kuroko—it was all in his head. He should slip away and give Kuroko the whole couch for his nap.

But if Kagami was never going to get what he really wanted, he would steal what he could. He turned down the volume on the game and stayed very, very still, hoping Kuroko would sleep for hours.

*****

Kagami woke with a crick in his neck. As he lifted his head from its awkward angle, he suddenly remembered Kuroko and froze.

Kuroko’s head still rested on Kagami’s shoulder. Kagami opened one eye—just a sliver—and caught glimpse of Kuroko’s hair before letting it fall shut again.

Kagami knew he should pull away. He could ease out from under Kuroko before he was alert enough to feel uncomfortable. 

But Kagami didn’t want to.

If Kuroko was half as tired as Kagami himself had been, he might sleep a while longer, and between the downy duvet and Kuroko tucked up along his side, Kagami felt cozy and relaxed. It wouldn’t hurt to stay like this just a little bit longer, would it?

Then Kuroko’s head popped up.

“You’re awake?” Kagami choked out.

“Mm,” Kuroko said, nodding.

He looked wide awake, in fact. His eyes were bright and so intent that Kagami had to look away.

Kagami’s gaze wandered up to Kuroko’s startling case of bed head. Studying the strange swirls and unruly tufts had Kagami fighting a smile within moments.

“Your hair is ridiculous.”

As soon as Kagami said the words, he realized how insulting they sounded. But maybe Kuroko picked up a hint of the tenderness his preposterous hair drew from deep in Kagami’s belly, because he didn’t seem to take offense.

Instead, he smiled and said, “It was damp.”

As if it had a mind of its own, Kagami’s hand reached out to smooth the worst of the mess. Kuroko’s hair was soft and fine. It felt good, sliding between Kagami’s fingers. So good that Kagami kept petting Kuroko’s head a little too long. When he realized what he was doing, Kagami snatched his hand away.

Kuroko was silent, his expression curious.

Kagami groped for words. _Adorable_ , his brain offered. He managed to squash the impulse before it traveled to his mouth, but it took too long.

It was getting awkward.

Kuroko’s head tilted sideways a few degrees—the question clear, even if he still didn’t speak.

Kagami let out a frustrated groan.

“Kagami-kun?”

“I can’t take it anymore!” Kagami whispered. He bent down to plant a kiss on Kuroko’s lips. His soft lips. Soft and warm and _wonderful_.

Then Kuroko put a hand on Kagami’s chest, gently pushing him away.

Kagami didn’t fight it. He leaned back, his eyes clenched shut. If Kuroko didn’t want this, there was nothing Kagami could do about it. He would figure out how to live with his embarrassment and disappointment. But what if Kuroko couldn’t live with it?

Just before Kagami started to panic, Kuroko said, “I like you, Kagami-kun.”

Kagami opened his eyes. Kuroko was smiling.

“I like you too,” Kagami said slowly.

“That’s why I never want to lie to you.”

“What are you talking about? When have you ever lied to me?”

“I didn’t have any errands,” Kuroko said, his cheeks flushing.

_Adorable_ , Kagami thought.

“I just wanted to see you,” Kuroko continued.

“You stopped me just to tell me that? I thought you were rejecting me. Did you really think I’d be mad?”

Kuroko smiled. It was that smile that Kagami loved—small and sort of shy, but fond and proud. The one that made Kagami feel like a hero. A surge of joy in his chest made him brave. He ducked his head and again pressed his lips to that sweet little smile.

Kuroko tilted his face up this time, like he was eager for it. Had he been waiting and wondering too? The possibility set Kagami’s heart rattling in his chest.

As they moved closer together, Kuroko slid his hand under Kagami’s shirt. His icy fingers made Kagami jump.

“Agh! What are you doing?!”

“Sorry. I’m still cold.” Kuroko’s mouth quirked up on one side.

“Yeah, I noticed,” Kagami said, rubbing his side. “Do you need to warm them up like that? On my stomach?”

“No. I just wanted to touch you.”

The simple, straightforward way Kuroko said it took Kagami completely off guard. He felt his face grow warm.

“You’re always saying such embarrassing things? Why do you—?”

“I told you,” Kuroko said, cutting Kagami off. “I never want to lie to you. Honesty is important in a relationship.”

“A relationship?”

“Isn’t that why you kissed me?” Kuroko asked.

“Yes, I just—I mean—” Kagami swallowed. “You want to be my boyfriend?”

Kuroko didn’t smile at that—not exactly. His expression was unlike anything Kagami had ever seen on his face before. It was impossible to interpret.

Kagami had no idea how to handle this. He’d never been in a relationship. He wanted to be, desperately, but he was freaking out. How was Kuroko staying calm? So inscrutably, frustratingly calm? What if Kuroko had a lot of experience with this kind of thing?

Kagami thought about Aomine. About Kise. Kuroko might lack presence, but those who truly saw him were drawn in.

“Kuroko. . . .”

“Yes, Kagami-kun?”

“Have you had a boyfriend before?”

“No,” Kuroko said. “But I’m not worried.”

“You’re not?”

“We make a very good team, and we’ve learned that hard work pays off.”

“Hard work?” Kagami asked. “What do you mean?”

“We worked hard and won Nationals.”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with us? With our . . .” Kagami’s cheeks felt hot. “Our relationship?”

Kuroko’s indecipherable expression blossomed into a smile.

This was another of Kagami’s favorite Kuroko smiles. If you didn’t know any better, his clear blue eyes fooled you into thinking he was every bit as innocent as he looked. However, there was a hint of slyness in this smile. It made Kagami’s heart beat faster.

“If we practice hard, we’ll succeed,” Kuroko whispered. He leaned close, his hand sliding up Kagami’s thigh. “So let’s practice.”

Then Kuroko kissed him. 

The End


End file.
